Meet The Freshmen: Katie McWilliams
August 06, 2015 | Women's Basketball
As the Beavers returned to campus for summer workouts, there were three new faces amongst the players: freshmen Katie McWilliams, Taylor Kalmer and Tarea Green. Over the coming days we will take a look at all three of them, beginning with this look at McWilliams.
Guard – 6-2 – Salem, Ore.
Katie McWilliams joins Oregon State this season as a longtime Beaver fan. She grew up in Salem, Ore., and played at South Salem High School. She signed with the Beavers in November as a five-star recruit, according to ESPNW, and earned numerous honors throughout her distinguished prep career.
McWilliams chose Oregon State for the family-like nature of the Corvallis community and for the growing basketball program.
“The thing that drew me to Beaver Nation was the people of Corvallis, the coaching staff and the Beaver community,” McWilliams said. “The team is like a family, and that is a unique dynamic.”
McWilliams was part of the 2014-15 South Salem squad that won the Oregon State Championship. For her performance on the season, she earned the Oregon Sports Awards honor for Best Prep Basketball Player, and was named Oregon Live Girls Basketball Player of the Year and Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year. McWilliams helped her team to a 27-2 overall record in her senior season, including a 25-0 mark against teams from Oregon. Overall, she averaged 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists on her way to her second-consecutive First Team All-State selection.
ESPN scout on McWilliams: “Agile perimeter prospect with versatility; length with mid-range game creativity to the arc; handles in uptempo, breaks down defender, finishes in traffic; consistent offensive producer with next-level backcourt size.”
With her outstanding high school career in the books, McWilliams now turns her eyes to an exciting future with the Beavers.
“Everyone has been working really hard to get ready for the season,” McWilliams said. “Coach Rueck knows what we need to do to win, and everyone on the team is going to push each other. I'm excited to see what this year has in store for us.”
Off the floor, she enjoys playing sports, fishing, hiking and hanging out with friends. She is also a big football fan, and played competitive tackle football as a fourth-grader – scoring several touchdowns including a 70-yard run.
She is also a standout in the classroom, making the honor roll all four years of high school. She earned All-Academic honors all four years, and was a member of the National Honor Society.
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